News

Dec 15, 2025

Auditors tell council to address abusive behaviour in meetings for second year in row

The external auditors for Teignbridge District Council have retained a statutory recommendation calling on the council to address "swearing" and abusive behaviour towards officers and members during meetings.

Dec 15, 2025

Ombudsman criticises failure by council to consider request from mother for summer born daughter to start reception after fifth birthday

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has criticised Herefordshire Council for failing to “properly consider” a mother’s request to allow her summer born daughter to start Reception at school after her fifth birthday in September 2026.

Dec 15, 2025

Council agrees to make changes to practice guidance on care charging following judicial review threat

Judicial review proceedings issued over Kent County Council’s care charging policy, which the claimant alleged had resulted in individuals overpaying for their social care, have been settled days before trial.

Dec 12, 2025

Around 50,000 specialist places to support children with SEND in mainstream schools to be created nationwide, says Education Secretary

The Education Secretary has announced a “transformational” expansion of specialist, calm learning spaces in mainstream schools, equipped with facilities to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Dec 12, 2025

Court of Protection considers correct legal test for assessing whether woman has capacity to make own decision as to whether or not to marry

A Court of Protection judge has considered the correct legal test for assessing whether an elderly woman with dementia has the capacity to make her own decision as to whether or not to marry, finding that the court should asses her capacity to marry in general, rather than her capacity to marry a…

Dec 12, 2025

Family Court approves care plan entailing move to Jamaica amid concerns over immigration application risks

A Family Court judge has approved a care plan for a young looked-after British child to move to Jamaica to live with her maternal half-brother, who is in the care of his paternal aunt.

Dec 11, 2025

High Court rejects all five grounds in Luton Airport expansion legal challenge

Campaigners behind an unsuccessful judicial review challenge of the Government's decision to green-light the expansion of Luton Airport have said they may appeal the High Court's decision.

Dec 11, 2025

Government to set up national Child Protection Authority as part of reforms to protect children from abuse

The Department for Education has announced plans for a new Child Protection Authority, as part of a government strategy to protect children from predators and abuse.

Dec 11, 2025

Select committee to scrutinise public inquiries and implementation of their findings

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) is to scrutinise public inquiries and the implementation of their findings, following a recommendation from the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Dec 11, 2025

High Court rules temporary chief constable appointment by police and crime commissioner was unlawful

A decision by a Police and Crime Commissioner to appoint a chief constable on a temporary basis was "unlawful", the High Court has found.

Dec 11, 2025

City of London wins appeal over intentional homelessness of tenant who moved from London to Brighton and then sought to return

A man who moved from social housing in London to Brighton and then wished to move back again was correctly found intentionally homeless by the City of London Corporation, the Court of Appeal has ruled.

Dec 11, 2025

UK government failing to uphold key human rights, including rights to peaceful protest and access to healthcare for disabled people: EHRC

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has issued a warning that human rights in the UK are being “compromised” because of gaps in the government’s action, and has written to ministers to remind them of international obligations.

Dec 11, 2025

Watchdogs criticise “inconsistent” level of support for children with SEND who do not attend school full-time

A report by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has claimed that support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who do not attend school full-time is “too inconsistent”.

Dec 11, 2025

High Court rejects latest judicial review challenge over Environment Agency decisions on landfill site

A child whose health was damaged by exposure to emissions from a landfill site has lost the third round of litigation in the case, with the High Court rejecting arguments for judicial review.

Dec 11, 2025

London borough urges Secretary of State to reform laws governing tenant management orders

Lambeth Council has told Communities Secretary Steve Reed that tenant management organisation (TMO) governance needs urgent reforms as councils’ hands are tied when they need to intervene.

Dec 11, 2025

Resident secures compensation award over impact of relief road scheme 50m from property

A Stockport householder has been given a compensation award by the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) in a dispute over the impact of a nearby road improvement on the value of his house.

Dec 11, 2025

City council defeats appeal by landlord over refusal of permission to apply for judicial review in business rates case

The Court of Appeal has dismissed as “wholly unarguable” a landlord’s case that its tenant was liable to pay business rates on an 'unoccupied hereditament’.

Dec 11, 2025

Delays caused by approval processes of Building Safety Regulator “unacceptable”, say peers

A House of Lords Committee has described the delays caused by the Building Safety Regulator’s approval processes as “unacceptable,” noting that they have stretched “far beyond” statutory timelines.

Dec 10, 2025

Welsh Government “falling short” on certain international human rights commitments, warns EHRC

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has warned that human rights are “at risk” in Wales, as the Welsh Government “falls short” on certain international commitments.

Dec 10, 2025

Councillor behind anonymous ‘poison pen’ letters sentenced

Magistrates have handed a former Liverpool City Council member who sent anonymous 'poison pen' letters to a colleague a restraining order and community order.

Dec 10, 2025

North West social landlord appoints 11 firms to £6.4m framework

Torus, the North West’s largest affordable housing provider with 40,000 homes in its portfolio, has appointed 11 firms to a multi-lot framework agreement for the provision of legal services.

Dec 10, 2025

Combined authority to procure £12m open framework for legal services

The Tees Valley Combined Authority is to establish an open framework for the provision of specialist legal support worth an estimated £12m over four years.

Dec 10, 2025

Mayors should be included in Local Government Pension Scheme, but councillor access “not a clear cut issue”, say pensions professionals

Combined authority mayors should be given access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, pensions professionals have said.

Dec 10, 2025

Local government and procurement among focus areas for new UK anti-corruption strategy

The Government will put the spotlight on local government, corrupt insiders, procurement and capability and knowledge as part of efforts to prevent and deter corruption more effectively within public sector bodies, as part of its UK Anti-Corruption Strategy 2025 launched this week.

Dec 09, 2025

Home Secretary names chair of Grooming Gangs Inquiry and publishes terms of reference

The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has appointed the former Children’s Commissioner for England, Baroness Anne Longfield, as Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs.

Dec 09, 2025

Regulator of Social Housing launches consultation on updated Transparency, Influence and Accountability standard

The Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) has launched a 12-week consultation on revisions to the Transparency, Influence and Accountability standard (TI&A standard), the Consumer Standards Code of Practice, and the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs).

Dec 09, 2025

External auditors flag "significant weakness" at London borough, including golden triangle turnover

The external auditors at Tower Hamlets have identified ten areas of significant weakness at the London borough, including "significant turnover" within the 'golden triangle' of statutory officers.

Dec 09, 2025

Court of Appeal to hear appeal by council this week in case concerning military service and Education, Health and Care Plans

The Court of Appeal will this week (11 December) hear an appeal by Hampshire County Council over an Upper Tribunal ruling that there was a failure to consult in relation to the local authority’s decision to cease to maintain a child’s Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan on the basis that the…

Dec 09, 2025

Administrative Court gives permission for legal challenge over decision by Welsh Government to ban greyhound racing

The Administrative Court has granted permission for a legal challenge against the decision by the Welsh Government to ban greyhound racing, on the ground of “unlawful consultation”.

Dec 09, 2025

Information Commissioner writes to local authorities demanding change in handling of care records requests

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has called for “urgent improvements” across UK local authorities after finding that people trying to access their own care records are being “let down”.

Dec 08, 2025

Council threatened with judicial review challenge after banning gender-critical group members from meetings

A gender-critical women's group has threatened a judicial review over Bristol City Council's decision to ban two of its members from attending council meetings for six months.

Dec 08, 2025

London borough abandons Court of Appeal bid over festivals in park and permitted development rights

Lambeth Council has said it will no longer pursue an appeal of a High Court judgment that found the London borough's use of permitted development rights to approve a series of live events in Brockwell Park was unlawful.

Dec 08, 2025

Review launched into rising demand for mental health, ADHD and autism services

The Government has launched an independent review of mental health, ADHD and autism services, to examine rising demand and inequalities in accessing support.

Dec 08, 2025

Pupil pursues Supreme Court appeal over permanent exclusion after school ski trip

A school pupil has applied to the Supreme Court for permission to appeal her permanent exclusion for entering a teacher’s hotel room during a school ski trip without permission to retrieve her confiscated mobile phone.

Dec 08, 2025

Council vehicles clamped after £138k in unpaid court costs

Delays in paying £138,000 worth of court-ordered costs following a housing disrepair claim led to High Court enforcement officers clamping two vehicles owned by Swindon Borough Council, the local authority's deputy leader has confirmed.

Dec 05, 2025

Councils to have new legal duty to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when child placed in temporary accommodation

The Department for Education has announced the introduction of a new legal duty for councils to notify schools, health visitors and GPs when a child is placed in temporary accommodation, as part of its Child Poverty Strategy, launched today (5 December).

Dec 05, 2025

Government refreshes guidance on mayoral development corporations

The Government has updated its guidance on the legislation, responsibilities and governance of Mayoral Development Corporations.

Dec 05, 2025

Court of Appeal sets aside care and placement orders, finding court needed to “keep bigger picture in view”

The Court of Appeal has set aside care and placement orders in respect of a two-year-old boy on the basis that the proposed plan for adoption was neither “necessary nor proportionate”.

Dec 04, 2025

Government launches call for evidence on claims management companies and housing disrepair cases

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Ministry of Justice have issued a call for evidence on the role and impact of claims management activity in housing disrepair claims brought in the County Court.

Dec 04, 2025

Court of Appeal refusal of permission to appeal paves way for 10,000-home new town in Hertfordshire to proceed

The Court of Appeal has refused permission to appeal in a legal challenge to plans for a 10,000 homes new town in Hertfordshire.

Dec 04, 2025

ICO ‘names and shames’ public authorities over FOI failures

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued a series of enforcement notices and practice recommendations to public authorities after identifying “significant failures” to comply with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000.

Dec 04, 2025

Court of Appeal allows appeal by council over costs award made after planning inquiry

Halton Borough Council has succeeded at the Court of Appeal over whether it should pay costs after its expert witness failed to come up to proof at a called-in planning inquiry.

Dec 04, 2025

Devolution priority programme areas to have mayoral elections delayed by two years

Four of the six local authority areas included in the Government's 'Devolution Priority Programme' could have their inaugural mayoral elections delayed in order to prioritise local government reorganisation in each of the regions.

Dec 04, 2025

Council “acted outside the law” when applying second homes council tax premium, Monitoring Officer finds

The Monitoring Officer at Warwick District Council has issued a section 5 report over the way in which the local authority applied a second homes council tax premium of 100%.

Dec 04, 2025

Government to press ahead with national minimum standards for taxi and PHV licensing, but to continue considering options on 'out of area' working

Laws to strengthen safety and protections for passengers in taxi and private hire vehicles are to be taken forward following Baroness Casey’s investigation into Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has said.